The Federal government has suspended its work in December 22, 2018. Consequently, the shutdown lasted 17 days, making it the 3rd duration in the entire history of the United States.
Since in 1976, Congress adopted the modern budget process, the government suspended the work 21 times. Sometimes for a few days, sometimes for a few hours (as it was in February of last year). The government and its subordinate companies that is not particularly affected.
But when the shutdown is prolonged, serious consequences are inevitable. Of course, Congress could «cut corners» and avoid shutdown, taking permanent resolution to allow for the necessary expenses at the same level, but legislators do not always reach agreement in time.
This time the government suspended after the interrupted negotiations between congressional leaders and the White house. The parties were unable to reach a compromise on funding the wall on the border of USA and Mexico.
Fortunately, many departments still managed to get funding, so it’s only a partial shutdown. Nevertheless, he touched a minimum of 9 Federal departments. In total suffered about 800 thousand civil servants. Some of them forced to work for free, and some were sent on unpaid leave.
Shutdown of 16 days was in 2013 (from 1 to 17 October) — due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over health care reform.
Longer than this time, the government not only worked in 1978 and 1995-1996.
In 1978, during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, the government suspended work in 18 days. Then the shutdown happened after Carter vetoed the laws on public works and defense spending, including the nuclear aircraft carrier, spending on which, in the opinion of the President, was unjustified.
The record was shutdown, when bill Clinton came into conflict with the then speaker of the house newt Gingrich by about the cuts to domestic spending. The government were not working for 21 days from 16 December 1995 to 6 January 1996.
If before Saturday the trump and the Congress agree that the current shutdown will be in the memory of Americans the longest.
